Summer is quickly approaching, and many of us will be out and
about taking full advantage of the warm weather. Unfortunately so will
the mosquitoes. For the life of me, I don’t understand their purpose, but they
are here and here to stay!

If we we plan on enjoying the spring and summer weather outdoors, insect repellent is a must. It's critical we protect ourselves from
mosquito bites because they can be the carriers of disease. Here are a few illnesses that can be contracted from mosquitoes:

Malaria

Chikungunya

Dog Heartworm

Lyme Disease

Dengue

Yellow Fever

Eastern Equine Encephalitis

St. Louis Encephalitis

LaCrosse Encephalitis

Western Equine Encephalitis

West Nile Virus

Zika Virus

What's in Your Insect Repellent?

One of the most common ingredients in insect repellents is Deet (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.) Common names for Deet include Autan, Delphene, Detamide, Deltamid, Flypel, m- Delphene, Meta-Delphene, Naugatuck Det, and Off.

Deet can be applied directly to the skin, clothing, household pets, tents and screens. While generally regarded as safe, one study found that soldiers applying solutions of 50-75 percent Deet had localized skin irritation, large painful blisters and permanent scarring of skin at the crease of the elbow.1

Deet is not the only ingredient used as a mosquito repellent. Most insect repellents have other ingredients that are not individually listed on the label. It is impossible to study the other ingredients (and their potential effects on the body) if you don't know what they are.

Natural Insect Repellents

For those who prefer natural products, there are many essential oils that can be used to repel mosquitoes naturally:

Lavender. Crushed lavender
flowers produce a fragrance and oil that can repel mosquitoes. Lavender can also
be used to soothe the skin due to its antiseptic and analgesic properties.
Crushed flowers can be applied to areas that are most likely to be bitten, like ankles
and arms. Lavender can also be rubbed into the
skin with a clean cloth.

Cinnamon oil. A
study in Taiwan claims cinnamon oil can kill mosquito eggs and act as a
repellent against adult Asian tiger mosquitoes.3

Thyme oil. The Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association found that thyme oil showed similar repellency to that of deet.4

Greek catnip oil. Studies on the effectiveness of catnip oil have varied. One study published by the University of Wisconsin claims catnip oil was ten times more effective than Deet, while others studies show less effectiveness.5

Mosquito Repellent Recipe

In each of these natural
remedies, add 15-25 drops the desired oil to rubbing alcohol or one of the following carrier oils:

olive oil

sunflower oil

witch hazel

vodka

Perform a spot check on a small patch of skin to make sure you’re
not allergic. Give it a day or 2 before you apply it all over your body to ensure there are no are no adverse reactions. Store in a cool dark place.

Try one of these natural home
remedies for mosquitoes. Your body will thank you!

Want more? Get additional tips and insight in my published books, all available on Amazon: